Preseason prognosis: Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — A pregame look at the agenda for each Heat preseason game, with the Heat to host the Detroit Pistons at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Palace of Auburn Hills (no television):

The issues: Figure on more mixing and matching of the rotation by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, particularly with this the first game of a back-to-back set that concludes Friday night in Kansas City against the Charlotte Bobcats. These two games could potentially offer the only exhibition exposure for players at the back end of the Heat camp roster, with cuts a possibility before the Heat head back out on the road next week for games in Washington and Brooklyn.

The injuries: Greg Oden (knee) and Mario Chalmers (hip) are out for the Heat, with Norris Cole starting in place of Chalmers. Also, Shane Battier again started in place of Udonis Haslem, who is coming off a July knee procedure. Will Bynum (hip), Luigi Datome (hamstring) and Peyton Siva (calf) were sidelined for the Pistons in their Tuesday preseason-opening 91-69 victory against Israeli League team Maccabi Haifa, with Bynum returning Thursday. Brandon Jennings (dental) and Rodney Stuckey (thumb) also sat Thursday for the Pistons.

The opposition: The Pistons are in somewhat of a transition mode, with Josh Smith and Jennings having arrived in the offseason. Beyond that, new coach Maurice Cheeks is weighing committing to Chauncey Billups as his opening-night shooting guard. The Pistons' strength remains the youthful one-two inside punch of Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. The issue is how those two will complement each other with Smith now also in the mix.

Pregame note of note: Rookie first-round pick Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot 1 of 12 for the Pistons in their preseason opener. The Pistons went 1-2 against the Heat last season, with Monroe averaging 20 points and 11.3 rebounds in the series.

Forward thinking: The Pistons figure to be back in the playoff chase, in a third tier of playoff hopefuls in the Eastern Conference, behind the top tier of Heat-Bulls-Pacers and the second tier of Nets-Knicks. Detroit likely will battle for one of the conference's final three playoff berths with the Hawks, Wizards and Cavaliers, and perhaps the Raptors and Bucks, as well.